When we are learning any foreign language, we are bound to compare it with our mother tongue (let's assume that yours is English).

Learning Russian has already brought you pleasant surprises -- for example, remember the moment when you found out that spelling in Russian is much simpler than in English? It means that it is easier for a learner to start reading. You don't agree and think that reading Russian is difficult? Then imagine a native Russian-speaker learning English and trying to figure out how to read double-o in words like "book", "floor", or "blood". If he hasn't yet heard these words and the teacher is far away at the moment, learning how to read takes tremendous effort. Compared to him, YOU are lucky.

But all the same -- reading in Russian can sometimes be tricky for a beginner, whose native language is English. Hard and soft consonants are usually the most difficult thing for a student to remember.

In English it doesn't matter whether the consonant you pronounce is hard or soft, but in Russian it can make another word. Your teacher surely has told you this, but there is a pretty long distance between knowing a rule and applying it automatically. That is why beginners often read words like "СЕЛ" and "СЪЕЛ" the same. Listening, memorizing, imitating native speakers will help -- in time. What to do here and now, especially if there is no tutor to correct?

Well, you can control your reading yourself so you won't confuse "Он сел" (He sat down/have sat down) Он съел